Virtual League Racing Series – Race 51

As we near the anniversary of the Virtual Series we regained our top spot in the Age-Graded Team competition. Race 52 times to be with Helen by Wednesday at 6.00 p.m.

MENS AGE GRADED 2KM TEAM
1 Lancashire Walking Club (83.57%)
2 Birchfield Harriers (81.97%)
3 South West Veterans AC (80.05%)
4 Scotia Race Walking Club (79.14%)
5 Manx Harriers (76.71%)
6 Quickstep Fitness (67.31%)
7 Steyning AC (61.69%)
8 Maidenhead AC (54.53%)
9 Surrey Walking Club (52.15%)
10 Leicester Walking Club (48.54%)
11 Sarnia Walking Club (44.53%)

MENS 2KM TEAM
1 Manx Harriers (28)
2 Birchfield Harriers (33)
3 Scotia Race Walking Club (43)
4 Lancashire Walking Club (55)
5 South West Veterans AC (57)
6 Quickstep Fitness (92)
7 Surrey Walking Club (172)
8 Steyning AC (184)
9 Leicester Walking Club (200)
10 Maidenhead AC (211)
11 Sarnia Walking Club (213)

Our team as follows:

Tony Taylor M70 91.96% Lancs WC 10:55.0

Dave Evans M70 85.68% Lancs WC 11:43.0

Guy Goodair M80 73.08% Lancs WC 16:08.0

Roy Gunnett M70 67.60% Lancs WC 14:51.0

Tony Bell M55 65.38% Lancs WC 13:00.0

Martin Payne M60 61.75% Lancs WC 14:02.0

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Loking ahead we are hoping against hope that our first club race in reality will be the Dave Crompton Memorial Trophy to be held on May 8 in Chorley. Given the fluctuating situation this will be confirmed towards the end of April. To be on the safe side this initial race will be confined to club members only as we make sure we are on top of all the protocols required. We know our much appreciated and loyal band of guest walkers will understand this caution. Being optimistic this race will pave the way for the resumption of our club fixture list.

MAY 8 Dave Crompton Memorial Trophy – Chorley

JUNE 5 Dick & Zena Smith Trophy – Bury

JUNE 20 BMAF 5k – Horwich

JULY 3 Barnard Trophy – Sutton

JULY 24 Fred Pearce Relay – Simister

AUGUST 14 Goodwin Cup – Chorley

SEPTEMBER 4 Lambert Trophy – Bury

OCTOBER 2 Albert Rigby Trophy – Sutton

NOVEMBER 6 AGM 5k – Simister

DECEMBER 4 Dick Maxwell Trophy – Simister

All being well – surely the orchestrated COVID melodrama will be brought to a close – our races as ever will start at 1.30 p.m. I hope to be with you as soon as is possible with imposed immunity passport in hand, resentful, compromised but chuffed to be seeing you soon.

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What a wonderful anecdote, this is! Having raced against these two great blokes in my youth [!] they epitomise all that is best about our sport – its diversity, its integrity and camaraderie.

Guy Goodair writes:

Just had a letter from an old friend, John Eddershaw stating ‘God moves in Mysterious ways – Better late than never’ and enclosing my finishing certificate from the 1965 London to Brighton walking race won by 1964 Olympic 50km champion, Abdon Pamich (7h 37m 8s) some 8 minutes in front of 1960 Olympic 50km champion, Don Thompson. I finished 5th but managed to beat 1956 Olympic 50km champion, Norman Read. After the race I had to dash off and John picked up my certificate. He’s just remembered to post it on 55+ years later!

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And, I await with trepidation your times for the March 3k Club Series. They need to be with me by midnight, Good Friday, April 2 at the latest. Seeing all our tavernas are closed, one enterrprising family are doing take-aways, And for the coming Catholic Easter, as the Greeks dub it, we can order specials for this weekend. Ironically, for us, the dog and the cats, it will be lamb in the oven with spinach – little different from Google’s claim that the English desired lamb at Easter. However, for the life of me I can’t remember lamb on Easter Sunday. What I do remember is fish and chips from the ‘chippie’ on Good Friday, hot cross buns and that’s it! I await your memories.

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